Punjab: Students are turning to creative activities and physical activities

Punjab: With board exams set to begin on February 15, pressure and anxiety are mounting among students. Sleep schedules, healthy meals and moments of calm often take a backseat, replaced by stress, fatigue and long hours of studying. However, many students in Amritsar have found unique ways to de-stress, take a break from their revision and relax before the big day. Vanshika Sharma, 13, a Class VIII student at Government Senior Secondary School Vijay Nagar, practices kickboxing for an hour every day to prepare for her exams. “I cannot go a day without it, because when I miss my kickboxing class, I am unable to focus on my revision,” the martial arts enthusiast said. Vanshika, along with Sargam, a Class X student at St Sai School, regularly practises kickboxing and martial arts before going for their long self-study sessions. Vanshpreet Kaur, a Class XII student of BBKDAV College, also practices boxing and feels more focused and lighter after an hour of training. “You can’t cram textbooks all day every day. When I feel tired or exhausted and can’t take lessons, the training studio is my go-to place,” she explains. Her guru Sunil Sharma, a martial arts expert at the Japanese School of Karate, points out that many students take up physical training before exams. “This helps release ‘happiness hormones’ or endorphins, which are natural stress relievers. It also helps students maintain a healthy mind and body, especially when exam stress can affect their eating and sleeping patterns. Also, martial arts improves focus and concentration,” he says. Another creative stress reliever is baking, a hobby that Ditya Bahl, a Class X student of Invictus International, pursues while preparing for her CBSE boards. Similarly, Shreya Soni, a Class XII Humanities student from DAV Public School, says, “Baking makes me happy as I get to make something I like to eat.

It helps me take a break from constant cramming and forget the fatigue of studying.” For Class XII student Guranshdeep Singh, playing the harmonium and singing shabads provides peace and relaxation after a long study day. “I usually study till late at night and when I can’t sleep in the morning, I play the harmonium and sing shabads of Gurbani. It is like meditation for me,” he says. His parents are often woken up by his kirtan in the morning. Guranshdeep, who aspires to appear for the JEE exam, believes that it is very important to engage in stress-relieving activities before the exam. He says, “If you get a headache or feel anxious due to stress, it can affect the exam result. So, I try to practice music once or twice a day as a break from my studies.” As exams are approaching, these students have found many ways to relieve stress, focus on their mental health, and maintain a healthy balance between studies and relaxation.